Hello again boys, here's a new fighter archetype that i develop for a friend of mine. Any critiques to make it better is welcome.
Pactblade
The Witch gains power from her communion with the unknown and draws her magic from a pact made with an otherworldly power. Communing with that source, using her familiar as a conduit, the witch gains not only a host of spells, but a number of strange abilities known as hexes. Like all spell casters, sooner or later, they’re going to need some warrior’s protection. And when the needs are great, they don’t hire any sell swords, they trust the Pactblades. These selected warriors wields special weapons, enhance by the same power that fuel the witches, and uses debilitating magic to hinder their foes. Steel, hexes, and curses, these are the Pactblade tools. They serve as coven’s guards, personal protector or even enforcers.
Pactblade is an archetype for the Fighter class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Pactblade is not proficient with heavy armor, or tower shields.
Skills
The Pactblade replace Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), and Knowledge (engineering) by the following skills: Knowledge (Arcana) (Int) and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Ranks at 1st Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.
Pactblade
After being accepted by your patron, the source of your powers, he gifts you with a very special weapon: your very own pactblade. This special weapon is not only a killing tool, but serve as your conduit to your bond entity. It also grants you the ability to throw hexes.
This weapon follows the rules of the wizard’s arcane bond weapon. With one exception: since the Pactblade doesn’t have spells, the weapon can instead be used to extend the duration of his hexes by 1 round per four level, once per day (identical to the *Cackle hex)
Hex (Su)
At 1st level, the Pactblade can use the *Evil Eye hex. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. Unless otherwise noted, using a hex is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The save to resist a hex is equal to 10 + 1/2 the Pactblade’s level + his Intelligence modifier.
This ability replaces the fighter’s 1st level bonus feat.
Strong Mind (Ex)
Trained by spell casters that are known for their mind tricks, Pactblade learn how to resist mind magic at early stage. At 2nd level, a Pactblade gains a +1 bonus to his will saves against mind affecting spells, hexes, curses, and other maledictions. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels after 2nd.
This ability replaces Bravery.
Hex Strike (Su)
At 5th level, a Pactblade gains the ability to deliver his hexes with his bond weapon as part as a normal attack. If the attack hit, he deal normal weapon damage and can hex the target as a free action. If the attack fails, he expends one use of his hex ability for the day. He can Hex Strike only once per round. The Pactblade also gain one more use of his hex ability per day, plus one more every four level after 5th.
This ability replaces Weapon Training 1.
Ward (Su)
At 7th level, the Pactblade learn to use his hexes not only for offence, but for defence as well. He gains the *Ward hex, modified as below.
At 15th level, the bonuses provided by this Ward increases by +1 each.
This ability replaces Armor Training 2.
Weapon Training (Ex)
At 9th level, a Pactblade gain Weapon Training 1 as the fighter class feature, but the bonuses only apply when wielding his Pactblade weapons type (i.e.: long sword), not weapon group.
This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.
Aura of Bad luck (Su)
At 11th level, a Pactblade can spend two daily use of his hex ability to create aura around himself that causes any attacks (including spells) made against the Pactblade to suffer the effect of the *Misfortune hex. Activating the Aura of Bad luck is a swift action.
At 15th level and 19th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. This hex affects all rolls the target must make while it lasts. A creature can be affected only once per day.
This ability replaces Armor Training 3.
Curse Wounds (Su)
At 13th level, a Pactblade can use his Hex Strike ability to inflict a Cursed Wound. If the attack hit, the target is allowed a Will save (same DC as his hex) or become infected. Infected creatures received only half the number of hit points from any healing sources (spells, abilities, and even items). This ability also stop the regeneration process of certain monsters (like troll) for a number of rounds equal to 3+ the Pactblade Intelligence modifier. If the attack fails, he expends one use of his hex ability for the day. This is a curse effect.
This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.
Retributive Strike (Su)
At 15th level, by spending one daily use of his hex ability, a Pactblade can use *Retribution hex as modified below:
This ability replaces Armor Training 4.
Plague (Su)
At 17th level, the Pactblade learn how to spread his hexes across his enemies, throwing multiple hexes a Pactblade can use his Hex Strike ability more than once per round. By spending multiple daily uses of his hex ability, he can hex as many time per round as the number of attacks allowed by his base attack bonus (BAB). By spending one daily use he can hex 2 times, by spending 2 daily uses he can hex 3 times, and so on, up to his maximum number of attacks per round. Therefore, a 17th level Pactblade can hex 4 times per round if he wishes. Each additional hex is treated as a new one, and the target save against each hex separately.
This ability replaces Weapon Training 4
Pact Lord (Ex)
At 20th level, a Pactblade bond with his weapon is complete. Any attacks made with that weapon automatically confirm all critical threats and have their damage multiplier increased by 1 (×2 becomes ×3, for example). In addition, whenever he’s using his Hex Strike ability to deliver a hex, the save DC for that hex is increase by +2.
This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.
Say something! comment, critique, insult! anything :)
Hey guys
Been a while! Couple of persons ask me if there was other stuff about this archetype, like feats, specific magic items and what nut...
I used a Pactblade as one of my bad guy in my campaign (very mean btw) and created a couple of unique feats and one new weapon special ability. Let me share them with you.
Extra Hex
You have learned the secrets of a new hex.
Prerequisite: Hex class feature.
Benefit: You gain one additional hex. Your selection is very limited and you must choose from the list below. You must meet all of the prerequisites for this hex.
Possible Hex: Cackle, Flight*, Fortune**, and Healing***.
*If the Flight hex is chosen, the Pactblade only gain the ability to cast Feather Fall and a +2 racial bonus on Swim checks, he can use this hex a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Intelligence modifier. At 5th level, he can cast Levitate, once per day. At 7th level he can cast Fly, for 1 minute plus his Intelligence modifier.
** The Fortune hex functions as normal, except that the Pactblade can only use it on himself.
*** If the Healing hex is chosen, the Pactblade can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Intelligence modifier. At 5th level he can cast Cure moderate Wounds.
Special: You can gain Extra Hex multiple times, but no more times than your Intelligence modifier.
Additional Hex
Your bound with your patron is strong, granting you more magical power.
Prerequisite: Hex class feature.
Benefit: You can use your Hex ability two additional times per day.
Special: You can gain Additional Hex multiple times, but no more times than your Intelligence modifier. Its effects stack.
Potent Hex
Your Hexes are harder to resist.
Prerequisite: Hex class feature.
Benefit: Add +2 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against your Hexes.
To go with his bounded weapon, i created a new weapon special ability:
Cursing
Price +1 bonus
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 5th; Weight —
Description
This special ability can only be placed on a pactblade weapon.
A Cursing weapon serves as a focus for its wielder's Evil Eye hex. When the target is under the effect of Evil Eye, the weapon's enhancement bonus is +1 better than normal. In addition, whenever the wielder strikes a creature with a Cursing weapon, the duration of one active Evil Eye effect (wielder choice) is extended for one round. No single Evil Eye effect can be extended more than three times.
Construction Requirements
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse, creator must have hex class feature; Cost +1 bonus
Hope you like!
Having his choices linited to just Evil Eye is kind of disapointing since you give gim this Hex Strike ability that ends up only workibg for Evil Eye unless you invested feats.
Also there is no need to limit his uses of hexes to a certain number of times per day. It's strictly worse than a bonus feat (since gaining a hex with unlimited uses per day = a feat) and they aren't very powerful to begin with. Only having one hex doesn't give tje versatility of a witch who recieves many, so it's already a lesser ability in that sense.
Well Big Melon, i don't want to give him too much, it's a fighter after all, not a caster! If you look at the Hexcrafter (magus archetype) he's also limited in his number of hexes, although not in his number of times per day...
This guy have almost all the fighter goodness: good BaB, 1d10 hit dice, simple/ martial weapon, light/ medium armor, weapon training (at level 9 instead of 5, but still) and a bunch of feats!
On top of it, he received abilities like: strong mind (way better than bravery), hex strike, ward, aura, and curse wounds (very nice).
I could remove the limited number of uses per day for Evil Eye, wouldn't be adding to much power. But i believe that simply let him use others hexes at will, would prove to much. And the feat investment is minor for this guy, he have tons of feats! so 2-3 less for enhancing his, not suppose to have, casting abilities is not that bad!
It would make the whole matter easier to manage dho, no need to worry about which hex he can have, or how many times per day he can use them. I know the hexcrafter can have access to more hexes by swapping his arcana, using the same ratio arcana = feat... this can be make possible. Maybe limiting the number of times he can take Extra Hex would keep it balance?
The whole idea was to stay as close as possible to a fighter, i mean a guy going around using disguise and healing people left and right is not a typical fighter!
Thanks for input dude, as usual, you raise good questions :)